Creative Robotics Studio Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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Creative Robotics Studio Worcester Polytechnic Institute Creative Robotics Studio An Interactive Qualifying Project Report submitted to the faculty of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science. By: Graham Held Walter Ho Paul Raynes Harrison Vaporciyan Project Advisers: Scott Barton Craig Putnam Joshua Rosenstock Creative Robotics Studio 2 Contents Contents .................................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract...................................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 6 1 Background ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Relationship between Robots and Humans ................................................................. 8 1.1.1 “Human Replacement” .......................................................................................... 8 1.1.2 Humanizing Robots - Anthropomorphism .............................................................. 9 1.1.3 Uncanny Valley ....................................................................................................11 1.1.4 Computers and Digital Technologies in Art ..........................................................12 1.1.5 Robots in Art ........................................................................................................13 1.2 Gesture .......................................................................................................................18 1.2.1 Using Props .........................................................................................................18 1.2.2 Choreography ......................................................................................................19 1.2.3 Movement ............................................................................................................19 1.2.4 Music and Emotion ..............................................................................................20 1.2.5 Audio-visuals .......................................................................................................21 2 Methodology ......................................................................................................................22 2.1 Surveys .......................................................................................................................23 2.1.1 Questionnaire Design ..........................................................................................23 2.1.2 Background Survey Design ..................................................................................24 2.1.3 Survey Distribution ...............................................................................................26 2.1.4 Performance Group Discussion and Surveys .......................................................26 2.2 Performance Design ...................................................................................................27 2.2.1 Performance Hardware ........................................................................................27 2.2.2 Storyboarding and Narrative ................................................................................29 2.2.3 Animatics and Animation .....................................................................................29 2.2.4 Exporting the Performance ..................................................................................31 2.2.5 Music ...................................................................................................................31 2.2.6 Playing Back the Live Performance .....................................................................31 3 Data and Discussion ..........................................................................................................32 3.1 Background Survey Data ............................................................................................32 3.1.1 Comfort Scenarios ...............................................................................................37 Creative Robotics Studio 3 3.1.2 Correlations with Literacy Scores .........................................................................38 3.1.3 Changes in Opinion .............................................................................................41 3.1.4 Open Ended Responses ......................................................................................48 3.2 Developing an artist’s toolset ......................................................................................49 3.2.1 Function before Aesthetics...................................................................................50 3.2.2 Future Endeavors with Our Toolset ......................................................................50 3.3 The Live Performance .................................................................................................52 3.3.1 The Animation Process ........................................................................................53 3.3.2 Simulation vs. Reality ...........................................................................................53 3.3.3 The Synchronization Software .............................................................................55 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................55 Works Cited ..............................................................................................................................57 Appendix 1 – Sync Software Code ............................................................................................60 Appendix 2 – RAPID Code ........................................................................................................70 Creative Robotics Studio 4 Abstract As robotic systems become more integrated with society, it is important to understand how humans perceive and accept robots. The Creative Robotics Studio (CRS) aims to accomplish four objectives throughout the course of the project: 1) Better understand how robots can be perceived as agents that have emotional and creative capacity. 2) Design a performance consisting of a narrative sequence of robotic gestures that evoke human empathy and emotion. 3) Draft a toolset which allows artists to realize their creative vision using an industrial arm and animation software. 4) Execute a performance using our toolset to display how the robotic arm gives the artist new creative opportunities. Creative Robotics Studio 5 Acknowledgements This project would not have existed in its current form if not for Andy Flessas’ (andyRobot) insights and perspectives on performance art with industrial arms. Our interview with Andy was pivotal for us and resulted in a new direction for the project. Andy gave us good advice going forward and valuable information regarding how his work functions in a real-world, social context. WPI’s Computer Operations Manager Randolph Robinson was a last-minute hero for our project, working on short notice to resolve sync software and IRC5 system network issues. If not for Randy we would not have been able to display our live performance. We would like to thank our three advisors on this project: Scott Barton, Craig Putnam, and Joshua Rosenstock, each of whom contributed insight and offered valuable time to make sure this project kept moving. Professor Barton was instrumental in keeping us considering the higher-level ideas and providing extensive feedback on our writing, surveys, and performance previews. Professor Putnam was a huge help with the robot hardware and design, taking time out of his schedule to supervise our live performance developments, and giving us pointers and resources to take our performance from animation previews to real-world execution. Professor Rosenstock was constantly pushing us to consider new and creative ways to incorporate and modify performance elements given our software, hardware, and time constraints. This project was possible because of their guidance and we are grateful to have worked with them. Creative Robotics Studio 6 Introduction At first glance, the fields of digital animation and industrial robotics appear to have little in common. Yet, as soon as one asks an animator about inverse kinematics or a roboticist about natural motion, the intersection becomes more evident. Both of these high level concepts heavily influence the designs and considerations of both fields. However, the abstract high level concepts need to be rationalized into real, physical examples in order to show off the intertwined nature of the two fields and how it might open a new realm of opportunities for artists and engineers alike. In general, the presence of robotics in everyday life grows a little more every year. For industrial applications robots are nearly ubiquitous, performing many tasks faster and with more precision than any human worker. The annual supply of industrial robots has nearly tripled in the last fifteen years1 – higher supply and higher demand means that availability is increasing and cost is decreasing. As a result of this, more
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